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REMARKS 

O    N 

Governor  JOHNSTONE'S  Speech 

IN      PARLIAMENT} 

WITH 

A     COLLECTION 

OF       ALL       THE 

Letters   and   Authentic  Papers, 

RELATIVE       TO 

His  Propofition  to  engage  the  Intereft  of  one  of 
the  DELEGATES  of  the  State  of  PENNSYLVA- 
NIA, in  the  CONGRESS  of  the  States  of  AME- 
RICA, to  promote  the  Views  of  the  BRITISH 
COMMISSIONERS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PRINTED    by  FRANCIS   BAILEY. 

M.  DCC.LXXIX, 


E       X 


R      A 


T 


-FROM         THE 

PARLIAMENTARY    REGISTER, 

No.  LXI.    PAGE    38,  39. 

GOVERNOR  JQHNSTONE's  SPEECH, 
On  the   26th  of  NOVEMBER,    1778. 


T 


H  E  accufation  ftated  againft  me  with  re- 
fpedt  to  General   Jofeph  Reed,    as  far  as 
"  the  tranfadlion  pretends  having  any  authority  from 
me  to  make  the  offer,   is  falfe  and  injurious  -,  it  is 
"  indeed  very  cautioufly  worded,  and  only  implies 
being  done  by  my  authority.      This   I  deny,   and 
*  I  have  perfeft  proof  in   my  pofleflion,  that  Mr. 

B  «<  Reed 


[6     ] 

"  Reed  never  understood  any  meffage  or  writing  of 
"  mine  as  liable  to  that  conftruftion.  While  I  fay 
"  this,  I  do  not  mean  to  difavow  I  have  had  tranf- 
"  adtions,  where  other  means  befides  perfuafion 
"  have  been  ufed.  It  was  necefTary  ;  in  my  fitua- 
"  tion  it  can  be  no  reproach.  This  of  Mr.  Reed  I 
"  deny,  and  I  can  prove  by  indifputable  evidence  in 
"  my  pofleffion,  that  Mr.  Reed  never  underftood  any 
"  meflage  from  me  in  that  light  at  the  time,  nor 
"  long  fubfequent.  The  converfation  is  faid  to  have 
"  pafled  on  the  twenty-firft  of  June.  The  mutilat- 
"  eel  letters  that  are  to  help  out  this  lame  tranfadlion, 
"  were  before  Congrefs.  The  matter  had  been  pub- 
"  lifhed  in  news-papers  at  that  time,  but  not  figned 
"  by  Mr.  Reed  nor  William  Henry  Drayton.  The 
"  Congrefs  take  no  notice  of  the  bufinefs  till  the 
"  nth  of  Auguft  3  then  the  indignation  of  that  vir- 
"  tuous  Affembly  rifes.  At  the  very  moment  they 
"  are  about  to  evade  a  folemn  engagement,  and  tranf- 
"  mit  their  names  with  infamy  to  future  ages,  they 
«  have  the  affurance  to  talk  of  liberty  and  virtue."--- 

"  You,  Sir,  are  well  acquainted  with  the  forms  of 
"  public  proceedings ;   you  know,  that  any  declara- 

«.'  tion 


[    7    3 

"  tion  of  Mr.  Reed,  of  what  a  woman  unknown  had 
*'  faid  to  him,  could  not  affeft  me.  The  Congrefs, 
*«  in  this  cafe,  were  bound  to  have  obliged  Mr. 
"  Reed  to  have  named  the  Lady,  and  next  to  have 
"  brought  that  Lady  before  them,  to  have  heard  her 
*<  own  ftory,  with  time,  place,  and  circumftance  ; 
"  this  (hould  have  been  fent  for  my  anfwer,  and  then 
"  they  might  have  pronounced  their  folemn  judg- 
"  ment  :  But  they  knew  full  well,  that  no  Lady 
"  whatfoever  could  avow  any  authority  from  me, 
<{  and  therefore  they  wifely  concealed  her  name.'1 


TH  E  above  Extract  contains  fo  explicit  a  denial 
of  the  tranfa<flion  charged  upon  Governor  John- 
ftone,  and  arraigns  in  fuch  pointed  terms,  the  honour 
and  virtue  of  Congrefs,  as  well  as  the  faith  and  ve- 
racity of  individuals,  that  it  cannot  be  deemed  im- 
proper to  colledt  the  fcattered  parts  of  this  tranfac- 
tion,  and  prefent  the  whole  in  one  entire  view,  from 
which  the  impartial  world  may  form  its  own  judg- 
ment, without  refting  upon  the  unfupported  aflerti- 
ons  of  any  of  the  parties.  It  is  beneath  the  dignity 

of 


/-#[;.: A.J-  [    8    ] 

of  Congrefs,  to  make  any  reply  to  the  fuggeftions  of 
difappointmen  t  and  petulance,  which  mark  thisfpeech 
of  the  Britiih  Commifiioncr.  To  demonftrate  the 
purity  of  the  principles,  and  the  truth  of  the  fads, 
on  which  they  founded  their  declaration,  "  Not  to 
"  treat  with  Governor  Johnftone,  on  affairs  wherein 
*'  the  interefts  of  Liberty  and  Virtue  are  concerned," 
will  fufficiently  refute  his  groundlefs  cenfure. 

As  I  obferved  in  a  narrative  of  a  part  of  this  tranf- 
adlion,  publifhed  on  the  24th  of  February  laft,  I  ne- 
ver faw  Governor  Johnflone  in  my  life.  From  his 
fpeeches  in  Parliament,  he  appeared  to  be  a  friend  So 
America.  As  fuch  I  efteemed  him.  When  he  came 
to  this  country  in  a  public  character,  he  fent  to  me,  at 
the  camp  at  Valley- Forge,  feveral  pamphlets,  and  a 
letter  from  my  brother-in-law  Mr.  De  Berdt,  men- 
tioning him  in  very  advantageous  terms,  and  accom- 
panied with  the  following  letter  from  himfelf,  which, 
to  obviate  the  charge  of  mutilation,  is  here  given 
entire. 


To 


[     9   -J 

ToGENERAL    JOSEPH   REED, 
"  S    I    R, 

"  XT'  OUR  near  and  worthy  relation  Mr.  Dennis 
"    A     De  Berdt,   has  made  me  happy  by  favouring 
"  me  with  a  letter  to  you.     I  havebeen  informed  by 
"  General  Robertfon  of  your  great  worth  andconfe- 
"  quence  in  the  unhappy  difputes  that  have  fubfifted 
"  between  Great-Britain  and  her  defendants.  Your 
"  pen  and  your  fword  have  both  been  ufed^with  glo- 
"  ry  and  advantage  in  vindicating  the  rights  of  man- 
"  kind,  and  of  that  community  of  which  you  was  a 
"  part.  Such  a  condud:  as  the  firft,  and  fuperior  of  all 
"  human  duties,  muft  ever  command  my  warmefl 
"  friendship  and  veneration.     In  the  midft  of  thefe 
"  affecting  fcenes  my  feeble  voice  has  not  been  want- 
"  ing  to  flop  the  evils  in  their  progrefs,  and  to  remove, 
"  on  a  large  and  liberal  footing,  the ~caufes  of  all  jea- 
"  loufy,   that  every  fubjed:  of  the  empire  might  live 
"  equally   free   and   fecure  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
"  bleffings  of  life  ;  not  one   part  dependent   on  the 
"  will  of  another,  with  oppofite  interefts,  but  a  ge- 
*'  neral  union,   on  terms  of  pe'rfedt  fecurity  and  mu- 

C  "  tual 


"  tual  advantage.  During  the  conteft,  I  am  free  to 
"  confefs,  my  wiihes  have  ever  been,  that  America 
"  might  fo  far  prevail,  as  to  oblige  this  country  to  iee 
"  their  error,  and  to  refled  and  reafon  fairly  in  the 
"  cafe  of  others,  heirs  to  the  fame  privileges  with 
"  themfelves.  It  has  pleafed  God,  in  hisjuftice,  fo  to 
"  difpofe  of  events,  that  this  kingdom  is  at  length 
"  convinced  of  her  folly  and  her  faults.  A  commiffion 
"  under  Parliamentary  authority,  is  now  iffued  for 
"  fettling,  in  a  manner  confiftent  with  that  union  of 
"  force,  on  which  the  fafety  of  both  parties  depend, 
"  all  the  differences  which  have,  or  can  fubfift  be- 
"  tween  Great-Britain  and  America,  (hort  of  a  total 
"  feparation  ofinterefts.  In  this  commifiion  I  am  an 
*'  unworthy  aflbciate.  Though  no  man  can  feel  the 
*'*  defire  of  cementing  in  peace  and  friendfhip  every 
"  member  of  what  was  called  the  Britifh  empire, 
"  ftronger  than  myfelf ;  yet  I  am  fenfible  it  might 
"  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  many  perfons  better quali- 
"  fied  to  attain  the  end  propofed.  All  I  can  claim  is, 
"  ardent  zeal  and  upright  intentions  :  And,  when  I 
"  refledl,  that  this  negotiation  muft  depend  much 
'"  more  upon  perfedt  integrity,  than  refinement  of  un- 
"  derftanding ;  where  a  fenfible,  magnanimous  peo- 

"  pie 


"  pie  will  fee  their  own  intereft,  and  carefully  guard 
"  their  own  honour  in  every  transaction,  I  am  more 
"  inclined  to  hope  from  the  good- will  I  have  always 
"  borne  them,  I  am  not  altogether  unqualified  for  the 
"  tafk.  If  it  be?  (as  I  hope  it  is)  the  difpofition  of 
"  good  men  in  the  provinces,  to  prefer  freedom  in 
"  conjunction  with  Great-Britain,  to  an  union  with 
"the  ancient  enemy  of  both.  If  it  is  their  generous 
"  inclination  to  forget  recent  injuries,  and  recal  to 
"  their  remembrance  former  benefits,  I  am  in  hopes 
we  may  yet  be  great  and  happy.  I  am  fure  the 
people  in  America  will  find  in  my  brother  Com- 
miffioners  and  myfelf,  a  fair  and  cheerful  concur- 
'•  rence  in  adjufting  every  point  to  their  utmoft  wifh, 
"  not  inconfiftent,  (as  I  faid  before)  with  a  beneficial 
"  union  of  interefts,  which  is  the  objec"l  of  our  com- 
c<  miflion.  Nothing  could  furpafs  the  glory  you  have 
"  acquired  in  arms,  except  the  generous  magnanimi- 
<c  ty  of  meeting  on  the  terms  of  juftice  and  equality, 
"  after  demonftrating  to  the  world,  that  the  fear  of 
"  force  could  have  no  influence  in  that  decifion.  The 
"  man  who  can  be  inftrumental  in  bringing  us  all  to 
"  aft  once  more  in  harmony,  and  to  unite  together 

«  the 


[      .2      ] 

"  the  various  powers  which  this  conteft  has  drawn 
"  forth,  will  deferve  more  from  the  King  and  the 
"  people,  from  patriotifm,  humanity,  friendfhip,  and 
"  all  the  tender  ties  that  are  affeded  by  the  quarrel, 
"  and  reconciliation,  than  ever  was  yet  beftowed  on 
"  human  kind. 

"  THIS  letter  from  Mr.  De  Berdt  I  fhall  confider 
"  as  an  introdudion  to  you,  which  line  of  commu- 
"  nication  I  fhall  endeavour  by  every  means  to  im- 
"  prove  by  public  demonftration  of  refped,  or  pri- 
"  vate  friendfhip,  as  your  anfwer  may  enable  me. 

"  I  am,  with  great  refped,  Sir, 

"  Your  moft  obedient  and  moft  humble  fervt. 

"  GEO.    JOHNSTONE." 
London,  April  u,  1778, 

AFTER  reading  this  letter,  I  gave  it  into  the  hands 
of  General  Wafhington,and  two  or  three  other  Gen- 
tlemen at  Head-Quarters,  who  returned  it  to  me 
without  any  remark.  In  a  few  days  after,  I  wrote 
an  anfwer,  which  I  communicated  to  Mr,  Morris, 
one  of  the  Delegates  for  Pennfylvania,  then  at  camp, 

who 


who  returned  it  to  me  with  a  general  approbation. 
I  afterwards  fhewed  it  to  General  Wafliington,  afk- 
ing  his  friendly  opinion  of  it,  which  he  gave,  by 
telling  me,  he  thought  Tome  of  the  complimentary' 
part  might  be  fpared.  Upon  which  I  abridged  it, 
and  having  fhewn  it  to  the  General,  he  approved  it, 
and  I  left  it  at  Head-Quarters  to  be  forwarded  with 
other  letters.  Whether  this  letter  ever  reached  Go- 
vernor Johnftone,  I  do  not  know,  but  I  rather  be- 
lieve that  it  failed  by  fome  accident.  It  was  in  the 
following  terms  : 

TOTHEHON  GEORGE  JOHNSTONE,  Eso. 

One  of  the  COMMISSIONERS,  &c.  &c. 

"SIR, 

"  T  T  A  K  E  the  earlieft  opportunity  to  acknow- 
"  •*  ledge  your  favour  of  the  nth  of  April,  and  to 
"  thank  you  for  your  obliging  care  in  forwarding 
"  the  packet  which  accompanied  it.  The  partiality  of 
"  my  friends  in  England  has  greatly  over-rated  my 
"  fervices  and  confequence  in  the  prefent  difpute ; 
"  I  claim  little  other  beyond  that  of  zeal  for  the 
"  interefts  of  my  country,  and  entertaining  a  very 

D  «  high 


(( 


(( 


[     14    I 

*'  high  veneration  for  thofe  illuftrious  characters, 
"  who  have  long,  though  unfuccefsfully  patronized 
"  her  rights  and  thofe  of  mankind.  America,  Sir, 
"  has  feen  and  admired  your  feafonable,  though  una- 
vailing efforts  to  prevent  the  difrrlemberment  of 
the  Britifh  empire,  and  place  us  on  the  great  and 
generous  fcale  of  equal  freedom  with  yourfelves. 
"  This  muft  be  your  confolation,  as  it  is  your  glory, 
"  while  the  event  affords  a  moft  inftructive  leflbn  to 
"  other'nations  and  fenates,  how  to  treat  in  future 
"  their  Joh  rift  ones,  their  Burkes,  their  Barrys,  their 
"  Chathams  and  their  Cambdens.  If  it  is  within  the 
"  line  of  human  events,  to  reconcile  the  people  of 
"  this  country  to  a  fubmiffion  to  the  fovereignty  of 
"  Britain,  the  Miniftry  have  in  this  appointment 
"  (really  honoured  by  your  acceptance)  {hewn  fome 
"  degree  of  wifdom,  as  it  may  refcue  them  from  the 
u  imputation  of  repeating  an  infidious  manoeuvre,  to 
<c  divide,  difarm  and  enflave  us.  But  you  will  fo 
"  foon  receive  the  fenfe  of  Congrefs  on  this  impor- 
"  tant  point,  that  any  opinion  from  me  would  be 
"  equally  ufelefs  and  improper.  I  fhall  only  fay,  that 
"  after  the  unparalleled  injuries  andinfults  this  coun- 

"'  try 


[   is   J 

try  has  received  from  the  men  who  now  diredt 
the  affairs  of  Britain,  a  negociation  under  their  au- 
e  fpices  has  much  to  ftruggle  with.  I  ipeak  from  no 
authority,  but  can  eafily  conceive,  that  America 
would  willingly  exchange  the  calamities  of  war 
"  for  the  bleffings  of  peace,  and  prove  as  faithful 
"  in  alliance  as  (he  has  been  great  in  arms.  If,  there - 
"  fore,  the  refolution  of  Congrefsfhould  be  unfriend- 
"  ly  to  yourprefent  views';  if  they  fhould  fuppofe, 
"  that  all  confidence  and  affedion,  the  only  grounds 
"  of  harmony,  and  fureft  fupport  of  all  government, 
"  are  fo  erafed,  as  to  leave  no  hope  of  a  happy  re- 
"  union,  I  cannot  but  flatter  myfelf,  that  men  of  vir- 
"  tue  and  enlarged  views,  on  both  fides  of  this  great 
"  queftion,  will  endeavour  to  clofe  the  fcene  of  blood 
"  on  the  only  terms  now  practicable,  and  that  Great- 
"  Britain  will  give  up  her  vifionary  fchemes  of  con- 
"  queft  and  empire,  for  the  folid  benefits  (he  may 
"yet  derive  from  our  amity  and  commerce.  I  will 
"  even  hope,  Sir,  for  your  aid  in  fo  good  a  work. 
"  Should  the  fame  fatal  influence  which  blafted 
"  your  former  falutary  counfels,  again  fruftrate  your 
"  humane  and  generous  purpofe,  come  to  America, 

"  the 


[     i6     ] 

"  the  future  afylum  of  the  brave  and  virtuous  from 
"  every  quarter  of  the  world.     She  will  think  her- 
"  felf  honoured,  to  receive  into  her  bofom  fo  illuftri- 
"  ous    a  citizen  ;    his   eloquence  will   not  then   be 
"  fpent  in  vain,   nor  his  eminent  worth  pafs  unre- 
"  warded.     My  defire  to  make  the  earlieft  acknow- 
"  ledgments  of  the  honour  you  have  done   me,  has 
"  prevented  my  troubling   you  with  a  few  lines  for 
"  my  friends  in  England,   who  are  interefted  in  the 
"  welfare  of  my  family.  My  brother's  letter,  and  the 
"  politenefs  of  your's,  encourage  me   to  take  this  li- 
"  berty,  which  I  fhall  d$  by  fome  early  opportunity. 
"  Too    many   cannot   prefent    to    fhew    the   very 
"  great   perfonal   refpeft    and   efteem   with    which 

*«  I  am,   Sir, 

"  Your  moft  obedient  and  very  humble  fervt. 

"  J  O  S.     RE  ED." 

Camp  at  Valley-Forge,  June  14,  1778. 

ON  the  i8th  of  June,  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
was  evacuated  by  the  Britifh  troops,  and  I  came  to 
town  the  fame  day,  having  fent  Governor  John/tone's 

letter 


-          [     i7    ] 

letter  to  me  to  the  Congrefs,   then  fitting  at  York- 
Town.  On  Sunday  the  2ift  of  June,  at  General  Ar- 
nold's quarters,  I  received  the  following  letter  from  . 
Mrs.  Fergufon,  a  Lady  of  family  and  reputation,  and 
who  had  before  the  war,   married  a  Gentleman,   at- 
tached to  the  Britiih  interefts,  and  then  a  Commif- 
fary  of  prifoners  in  their  army. 

To    GENERAL    REED. 

«  S   I   R,       ,         - 

«  TT  A  V I  N  G  occafion,  on  particular  bufinefs, 
"  JLJL  to  go  to  Lancafter,  I  purpofe  fetting  off  on 
"  Monday  morning  from  this  place.  It  would  afford 
"  me  confiderable  fatisfaction,  could  I  be  favoured 
"  with  an  hour's  converfation  with  you,  Sir,  previ- 
"  ous  to  my  being  at  Lancafter.  In  order  to  effedT: 
"  this,  I  propofe  going  near  the  camp,  where, 
"  if  you  will  be  good  enough  to  meet  me  at  any 
"  place  you  will  name,  within  a  mile  or  two  of  Val- 
<c  ley-Forge,  it  would  vaftly  oblige  me.  I  fhould 
"  have  been  at  Lancafter  laft  week,  but  being  in  the 
"  city  to  take  leave  of  my  hufband,  I  was  refufed  a 
"  pafs  on  the  day  I  purpofed  leaving  the  town.  I 

E  "  enclofe 


"  enclofe  a  letter  Col.  Boudinot  had  from  General 
"  Roberdeau,  pointing  out  the  neceffity  of  being  foon 
*'  at  Lancaster.  I  alfo  enclofe  a  letter  Mr.  Stock- 
"  ton  has  wrote,  relative  to  Mr.  Fergufon's  pro- 
"  fcription,  which  I  muft  beg  the  favour  of  you  to 
"  confider,  and  give  your  advice  on  when  we  meet. 
"  At  all  events,  I  would  wifh  much  to  fee  you  before 
"  I  go.  If  one  day  would  fuit  you  better  than  an- 
other, I  would  poftpone  or  forward  a  day,  in  order 
to  fee  you,  though  Monday  is  the  time  propofed. 
The  Valley-Forge  is  about  twenty-four  miles 
"  from  this,  fo  that  if  I  fet  off  from  this  in  the  morn- 
"  ing,  I  (hall  be  able  to  fee  you  in  the  afternoon.  Be 
"  fo  obliging  as  to  appoint  the  place;  but  I  would 
"  wifh  to  avoid  paffing  through  the  camp  ;  but  any 
"  little  cottage  or  farm-houfe  would  be  agreeable  to 
"  me  to  fee  you  in.  However  it  may  affeft  my  own 
"  private  concerns,  I  cannot  avoid  fincerely  congra- 
"  tulating  you,  Sir,  on  the  profpedl  of  your  entering 
"  once  more  your  own  houfe  in  the  city,  where,  that 
"  you  may  enjoy  every  kind  of  domeflic  peace  and 
"  comfort,  is  the  fincere  wifh  of,  Sir, 

"  Your  moft  obedient  humble  fervant, 

«  ELIZABETH   FERGUSON." 

"  P.  S.  Since 


[     '9    ] 

"P.  S.  Since  writing  the  above,  I  hear  the  camp 
"  is  moved  ;  therefore,  if  this  fhould  reach  you,  I 
"  beg  you  will  be  fo  good  as  to  point  out  where  I 
"  fhall  fee  you,  as  writing  will  not  do." 

I  ENQUIRED  of  the  fervant  who  delivered  me  the 
letter  where  Mrs.  Fergufon  was,  and  was  informed 
fhe  had  come  to  town  that  morning  ;  upon  which  I 
wrote  a  fhort  billet,  mentioning,  that  being  engaged 
to  dinner,  I  could  not  come  fo  early  as  fhe  feemed  to 
wifh,  but  would  certainly  wait  on  her  in  the  even- 
ing, when  I  left  the  company  with  whom  I  dined.  I 
accordingly  did  fo,  and  found  her  in  all  appearance 
waiting  for  me.  She  opened  the  converfation,  by 
relating  the  difficulties  and  perplexities  in  which  fhe 
found  herfelf,  what  advice  had  been  given  her  re- 
fpeding  Mr.  Fergufon,  and  what  her  intentions  had 
been.  The  particulars  I  did  not  recoiled  when  I 
firfl  committed  this  tranfadtion  to  writing,  nor  have 
I  fince,  as  it  feemed  to  be  only  introductory  ;  or, 
perhaps,  the  fubfequent  converfation  being  more  in- 
terefting,  the  other  did  not  make  the  ufual  impref- 
fion.  From  this  fubjedl,  we  imperceptibly  flid  into 
that  of  the  Britifh  Commiffioners,  their  bufinefs  and 

[characters, 


r  2o  ] 

characters,  when  Mrs.  Fergufun  mentioned  Gover- 
nor Johnflone's  lodging  in  that  very  houfe  with  her, 
and  that  fhe  had  frequently  converfed  with  him  on 
public  affairs  :  She  defcribed  him  as  a  Gentlemen  of 
great  abilities  and  addrefs,  and  poffcfled  of  many  a- 
miable  qualities  :  That  he  had  fketched  out  a  plan 
of  fettlement  of  our  difputes,  on  his  pafTage,  which 
he  had  permitted  her  to  fee,  and  that  fhe  had  made 
fome  extracts  from  it,  which  fhe  gave  me  expedtati- 
ons  fhe  would  communicate  to  me  on  another  occafi- 
on  :  She  then  added,  that  he  had  exprefled  the  moft 
favourable  fentiments  of  me,  and  the  part  I  had  aded 
in  this  great  conteft.  Upon  which  I  mentioned  my 
having  received  a  letter  from  him  at  the  Valley- 
Forge,  and  acknowledged  his  civility  in  fending  my 
,  packets  with  unbroken  feals.  Mrs.  Fergufon  then 
went  on  to  fay,  that  Governor  Johnftone  exprefled 
great  anxiety  to  fee  me,  and  particularly  wifhed  to 
engage  my  intereft  to  promote  the  objedt  of  their 
commiflion,  viz.  A  re-union  between  the  two  coun- 
tries, if  it  was  confiftent  with  my  principles  and 
judgment ;  and  in  fuch  cafe,  it  could  not  be  deemed 
improper  or  unbecoming  in  Government  to  take  a 

favourable 


[      21       ] 

favourable  notice  of  fuch  condudt  j  and  in  this  in- 
ftance  I  might  have  £.  10,000  Sterling,  and  any  of- 
fice in  the  colonies  in  his  Majefty's  gift,  I  found  an 
anfwer  was  expeded,  and  gave  one,  "  That  I  was  not 
"  worth  purchafing,  but  fuch  as  I  was,  the  King  of 
"  Great-Britain  was  not  rich  enough  to  do  it."  By 
this  time  the  evening  was  pretty  far  advanced,  and 
no  reply  being  made,  I  rofe  to  take  my  leave,  which 
I  did,  after  expreffing  my  concern  for  her  private 
misfortunes,  and  left  the  houfe,  with  a  mind  much 
agitated  with  this  new  and  unexpected  fcene. 

AT  this  time  I  had  not  feen  Governor  Johnftone's 
letters  to  Mr.  Morris  and  Mr,  Dana,  which  would 
probably  have  determined  me  fooner  as  to  the  part  I 
ought  to  adl :  Befides  which,  the  Congrefs  was  yet 
at  York-Town,  the  Executive  Council  at  Lancafter, 
I  was  about  to  join  the  army  again  ;  the  battle  of 
Monrnouth,  and  other  important  events  fucceeded, 
which  engrofTed  the  public  attention  and  my  own, 
and  prevented  my  return  to  Congrefs  till  the  month 
of  July.  In  the  mean  time  I  was  deliberating  what 
fteps  I  ought  to  purfue  :  On  the  one  hand,  the  duty 
I  owed  to  my  country  feemed  to  demand  a  full  dif- 
clofure;  on  the  other,  a  reludtance  to  expofe  the  La- 

F  dy 


dy  to  a  criminal  profecution,  or  popular  refentment, 
and  myfelf  to  the  imputation  of  vanity  and  oftentati- 
ous  integrity,  kept  me  filent,  except  to  General  Wafh- 
ington,  and  two  or  three  other  Gentlemen.  But  the 
more  I  reflected  upon  the  nature  of  the  propofition, 
and  the.  danger  of  negotiation^  fuch  hands,  private 
confiderations  gave  way  to  public  duty,  and  on  the 
i8th  of  July  I  made  a  full  difclofure  of  the  whole 
tranfadtion  to  Congrefs,  only  concealing  the  name  of 
the  Lady.  On  the  iQth,  William  Henry  Drayton, 
Efq;  requefteda  fhort  narrative  of  it  in  writing,  which 
Igave  him,  figned  with  my  name,  and  which  he  pub- 
lifhed  in  an  addrefs,  figned  by  himfelf,  and  directed 
to  the  Britifh  Commiffioners,in  Mr.  Dunlap's  paper 
of  the  2  i  ft  of  July,  1778;  in  which  fame  paper  are 
alfo  publifhed  the  addrefs  oftheCommiflioners  to  Con- 
grefs, dated  the  nth  of  July,  and  Governor  John- 
flone's  letters  to  Mr.  Dana  and  Mr.  Morris.  Upon 
what  ground,  therefore,  Governor  Johnftone  could 
aflert,  that  though  it  had  appeared  in  the  news-pa- 
pers, it  had  not  been  figned  by  me  or  Mr.  Drayton, 
is  difficult  to  imagine,  and  can  only  be  accounted  for 
by  a  total  delinquency  of  memory>  or  a  lefs  honour- 
able reafon. 

SOON 


[     23     1 

SOON  after  this  publication,  a  perfon  of  my  ac- 
quaintance going  to  ^New-York,  (by  permifiion  of 
Gen.  Arnold)  I  wrote  her  a  billetr  requefting  her  to 
enquire  there  for  any  letters  which  Mr".  De  Berdt 
might  have  wrote  to  his  mother,  fitter,  or  myfelf  ; 
and  if  fhe  met  with  any  difficulties  there,  on  this  ac- 
count, or  any  other,  to  apply  to  Governor  Johnftone  ; 
for,  whatever  my  opinion  of  him  was,  the  fervice  was 
fb  trifling,  that  I  had  no  fcruple  to  make  ufe  of  him,  or 
any  other  perfon  on  the  occafion,  if  irfhould  be  ne- 
ceflary  -,  but  I  at  the  fame  time  accompanied  it  with 
a  ftrong  verbal  injunction,  not  to  do  fo  but  in  cafe  of 
necefiity.  As  this  note  was  not  addrefled  to  Gover- 
nor Johnftone,  nor  did  I  think  it  of  any  confequence, 
I  kept  no  copy;  but  it  contained  no  more  than  the 
above,  and  an  information  that  I  had  received  and 
anfwered  his  letter  of  the  i  ith  of  April.  Governor 
Johnftone,  by  fome  means  became  informed  of  thefe 
enquiries,  and  came  to  her,  when  having  obtained 
a  fight  of  this  note  to  her,  he  infifted  upon  keeping  it. 
A  circumftance  for  which  (he  made  many  apologies, 
and  expreffed  great  concern  afterwards,  when  fhe 
fufpected  the  ufe  Governorjohnftone  propofed  tomake 
of  it.  I  declare,  upon  my  honour,  I  never  wrote  a  line 

to 


to  Governor  Johnftone,  but  the  letter  dated  the  i^th 
of  June,  which  was  before  I  had  feen  Mrs.  Fergufon  ; 
nor  have  I  ever  fent  him  any  meflage,  verbal  or  writ* 
ten,  or  had  any  kind  of  intercourfe  with  him,  except 
lie  has  conftrued  the  note  to  this  perfon  as  fuch ;  and 
am  therefore  obliged  to  afcribe  his  aflertion,  "  Of 
"  being  poflefled  of  perfedt  proof,  that  I  never  un- 
"  derftood  any  meflage  or  writing  of  his,  as  liable  to 
"  the  conflrudion  of  corruption,"  to  the  fame  caufe 
as  his  denial  of  the  fignature  of  Mr.  Drayton  and  my- 
ielf,  to  the  publication  of  the  aift  of  July  *. 

THE  multiplicity  and  importance  of  bufmefs 
which  prefled  on  Congrefs,  in  confequence  of 
the  alliance  with  France,  and  the  arrival  of  Mon- 
fieur  Gerard,  was  the  true  reafon  why  no  public 
adt  of  Congrefs  pafled  thereon  until  the  iithof 
Auguft,  and  not  an  infidious  delay,  to  ground  an 
excufe  for  their  refufal  to  gratify  the  Commiflioners 
in  their  demand  of  the  Convention  troops,  as  Gover- 
nor 

*  ABOUT  this  time  I  received  the  letter  from  Mrs.  Fergnlon,  dated 
26th  July,  (inferred  hereafter,  page  55),  which,  though  miftaken 
in  many  refpetfs,  I  never  anfwered,  left  il  might  lead  10  the 
difcovery  of  the  perfon,  a  fecret  which  at  that  time  I  intended 
and  hoped  would  have  been  kept  inviolate. 


[     15     1 

nor  Johnftone  has   fuggefted  5  for,  it  is  extremely 
obvious,   that  there  being  three  CommifTioners  un- 
tainted, or  at  leaft  uncharged  with  corruption,   fuch 
a  reafon  could  afford  no  folid  pretext  to  refufe  a  ne- 
gotiation with  all.     But  what  muft  be  fully  convin- 
cing on  this  point  is,   that  thefe  Commiffioners  did 
not  addrefs  Congrels  on  this  fubjedt  until  the  26th 
of  Auguft,  which  was  fifteen  days  after  the  declara- 
tion  of  Congrefs,    that  they   would  do  no  bufinefs 
with  Governor  Johnftone ;  he  muft  therefore  have 
prefumed  greatly  on  the  diftance  between  England 
and  America,  when  he  afferted,  "  That  at  that  ve- 
"  ry  moment  they  were  about  to  evade  a  folemn  en- 
"  gagement,  and  tranfmit  their  names  with  infamy 
"  to  future  ages/'     And  what  is-  farther  worthy  of 
remark  ;    on  that  fame  day,  viz.  the  26th  of  Auguft, 
that  the  Commiffioners  made   their  demand  of  the 
prifoners  of  Saratoga,  Governor  Johnftone  anfwered 
the  declaration   of  Congrefs,   againff  which  he  has 
declaimed  with  fo  much  bitternefs.     On  the  4th  of 
September,   almoft  a  month  after  their  declaration, 
Congrefs   anfwered  this  requifition  ;  and  yet   by  a 
ftrange  inverfion  of  dates  and  circumftances,  this  de- 
claration is  fuppofed  to  have  been  founded  on  a  de- 
.  G  fign 


fign  to  elude  a  demand  not  then  made,  and  which 
Congrefs  could  not  know  ever  would  be  made  by 
thofe  Commiffioners.  This  declaration  was  made 
by  Congrefs  on  the  i  ith  of  Auguft ;  but  on  whofe 
motion,  or  under  what  other  circumftances,  I  cannot 
fay,  as  I  was  not  prefent ;  but  it  was  in  thefe  words : 

A      .DECLARATION. 


H  E  R  E  A  s  Geor§e  J<>hnftone>  Efq>  °ne  °f 

the  Britifh  Commiffioners  for  reftoring  peace 
"  in  America,  on  the  1 1  th  day  of  April  laft,  did  write 
"  and  fend  a  letter  to  Jofeph  Reed,  Efq;  a  member  of 
"  Congrefs,  containing  this  paragraph  :  "  The  man 
(€  who  can  be  inftrumental  in  bringing  us  all  to  adl 
"  once  more  in  harmony,  and  to  unite  together  the 
"  various  powers  which  this  conteft  has  drawn  forth, 
«c  will  deferve  more  from  the  King  and  the  people, 
"  from  patriotifm,  humanity,  and  all  the  tender  ties 
<f  that  are  affedted  by  the  quarrel  and  reconciliation, 
"  than  ever  was  yet  beftowed  on  human  kind." 
"  And  whereas  the  faid  George  Johnftone,  on  the 
"  i6th  day  of  June  laft,  wrote  and  fent  a  letter  to 
"  Robert  Morris,  Efq;  another  Member  of  Congrefs, 

<c  containing 


"  containing  the  following  paragraph,  viz.  "  I  be- 

"  lieve  the  men   who  have  conducted  the  affairs  of 

"  America,  incapabk  of  being  influenced  by  impro- 

"  per  motives.     But  in  all  fuch  tranfadlions  there  is 

"  rifque,  and  I  think,  that  whoever  ventures  fhould  be 

"  fecured  ->  at  the  fame  time,  that  honours  and  emo- 

"  luments   fhould   naturally  follow  the    fortune  of 

"  thofe  who  have  fleered  the  veflel  in  theflorm,  and 

"  brought  her  fafely  into  port.    I  think  Wafhington 

"  and  the   Prefident   have   a  right   to  every  favour 

"  which  grateful  nations  can  beftow,    if  they  could 

"  once  more  unite  our  interefts,  and  fpare  the  mife- 

"  ries  and  devaftations  of  war  :"  Which  letters  were 

"  laid  before  Congrefs.     And  whereas,  the  faid  Jo- 

"  feph  Reed,   Efq;   hath,   in  his  place  in  Congrefs, 

"  declared,  "  That  on  Sunday  the  2ift  of  June  laft,  a 

*'  few  days  after  the  evacuation  of  the  city  of  Phila- 

"  delphia  by  the  Britifh  troops,  he  received  a  written 

"  meffage  from  a  married  Lady  of  charafter,  -expref- 

"  fing  a  defire  of  feeing  him  on  bufmefs  which  could 

"  not  be  committed  to  writing  :  That  attending  the 

"  Lady,  agreeable  to  her  appointment,   in  the  even- 

'  ing,   after  fome  previous  converfatiOn  refpedling 

r-  her 


r  28  3 

"  her  particular  connections,  the  bufmefs  and  cha- 
"  radters  of  the  Britifli  Commiffioners,  and  particu- 
"  larly  of  Governor  Johnftone,  (meaning  the  faid 
"  George  Johnftone,  Efqj)  were  the  fubjedls  of  gene- 
"  ral  converfation,  which  being  more  confined,  the 
"  Lady  expatiated  on  the  great  talents  and  amiable 
"  qualities  of  that  Gentleman  ;  and  added,  that  in 
"  feveral  converfations  with  her,  he,  (Governor 
*'  Johnflone)  had  expreffed  the  moft  favourable  fen- 
"  timents  of  him,  (Mr.  Reed)  and  that  it  was  parti- 
"  cularly  wi(hed  to  engage  his,  (Mr.  Reed's)  intereft, 
"  to  promote  the  objedl  of  their  commiffion,  viz.  A 
'*  a  re-union  between  the  two  countries,  if  confiflent 
"  with  his  principles  and  judgment ;  and  that  in  fuch 
"  cafe,  it  could  not  be  deemed  unbecoming  or  im- 
"  proper  in  Government  (meaning  the  Britifh)  to 
"  take  a  favourable  notice  of  fuch  conduft,  and  that 
*'  in  this  inftance,  he,  (Mr.  Reed)  might  have 
"  >C*  IO>G°°  Sterling,  and  any  office  in  the  colonies, 
"  (meaning  thefe  United  States)  in  his  Majefty's 
"  gift,  (meaning  his  Britannic  Majefty).  To  which 
"  finding  an  anfwer  was  expefted,  he,  (Mr.  Reed) 
"  replied,  "  He  was  not  worth  purchafing,  but  fuch 

"  as 


[     29     ] 

"  as  he  was,  the  King  of  Great-Britain  was  not  rich 
"  enough  to  do  it."  And  whereas  the  faid  paragraph, 
"  written  and  fent,  as  aforefaid,  by  George  John- 
"  Hone,  Efq;  and  the  faid  declaration  made  by  Jofeph 
"  Reed,  Efqj  call  loudly  on  Congrefs  to  exprefs  their 
"  fenfe  thereon."  Therefore, 

"  Refofoed,  That  the  faid  paragraphs,  and  the  par- 
"  ticulars  in  the  faid  declaration,  in  the  opinion  of 
Congrefs,  cannot  but  be  confidered  as  diredt  at- 
tempts  to  corrupt  and  bribe  the  Congrefs  of  the 
United  States  of  America. 


"  Refohed,  That  as  Congrefs  feel,  fo  they  ought  to 
demonftrate  the  higheft  and  moft  pointed  indigna- 
tion againft  fuch  daring  and  atrocious  attempts  to 
corrupt  their  integrity. 


" 


<c 


"  Refohed,  That  it  is  incompatible  with  the  ho- 
"  nour  of  Congrefs,  to  hold  any  manner  of  corre— 
"  fpondence  or  intercourfe  with  the  faid  George 
"  Johnftone,  Efq;  efpecially  to  negotiate  with  him 
"  on  affairs  in  which  the  caufe  of  Liberty  and  Vir- 
"  tue  is  interefted  :  And,  for  the  propriety  of  fuch 
H  "  condud, 


[    3°    ] 

"  conduft,   we  make  and  publifh  to  the  world  this 
"  declaration. 

"  DONE  in  Congrefs,  in  Philadelphia,  the  ele- 
"  venth  day  of  Auguft,  Anno  Domini  1778, 
"  and  in  the  third  year  of  the  Independence 
**  of  America. 

"  By  order, 
«  HENRY   LAUREN  S,   Preftdent." 

To  which   GOVERNOR  JOHNSTON E  gave  the  fol- 
lowing ANSWER  : 

New-Tork,   Auguft  26,    1778. 

GEORGE  JOHNSTON  E,  one  of  the 
Commiffioners  appointed  by  his   Majefty  to 
carry  into  execution  the  gracious  purpofes  of  his 
"  Majefty  and  his  Parliament,   for  quieting  the  dif- 
"  orders  now  fubfifting  in   North-America,  and  for 
"  maintaining  the  people  of  thefe  provinces  in  the 
"  clear  and  perfed:  enjoyment  of  their  liberties  and 
"  rights,  having  feen  a  Declaration  of  the  American 
"  Congrefs,  figned  by  Henry  Laurens,  their  Prefi- 

"  dent, 


r  3*  ] 

"  dent,  dated  I  ith  of  Auguft,  to  which,  for  certain 
"  affumed  reafons  therein  fpecified,  is  fubjoined  the 
"  following  refolution  : 

"  That  it  is  incompatible  with  the  honour  of  Congrefs 
"  to  hold  any  manner  of  correspondence  or  inter courfe 
"  with  the  laid  George  Jobnjione,  E/q-,  efpecially  to  nego- 
"  tiate  with  him  upon  affairs  in  which  the  cau/e  of  Li- 
"  berty  and  Virtue  is  inter  ejted. 

"  The  faid  Ge6rge  Johnflone  for  himfelf  fays,  That 
"  he  is  far  from  confidering  the  faid  refolution  of  the 
"  Congrefs  as  offenfive  to  him  :  That  he  rather  re- 
"  ceives  it  as  a  mark  of  diftindtion,  to  which  he  is 
"  by  no  means  entitled,  either  by  his  exertions  in  the 
"  caufe  in  which  he  is  employed,  or  by  his  abilities 
"  for  improving  any  future  circumftances  that  may 
"  occur  towards  fulfilling  the  purpofes  of  the  com- 
€s  miffion  under  which  he  is  appointed. 

"  That  he  fhall  be  happy  to  find  when  this  excep- 
"  tion  as  to  him  fhall  be  removed,  that  the  Congrefs 
"  are  inclined  to  retradl:  their  former  declaration, 
"  and  to  negotiate  with  others  upon  terms  equally 

"  conducive 


[     32    ] 

"  conducive  to  the  happinefs  of  both  countries  :  At 
"  the  fame  time  he  is  inclined  to  believe,  that  the 
"  faid  refolution  of  Congrefs  has  been  iffiied  upon  fi- 
"  milar  motives  with  thofe  refolutions  refpefting 
"  the  cartouch  boxes  of  General  Burgoyne's  army, 
"  and  calculated  as  an  excufe  to  a  deluded  people  for 
"  not  fending  an  explicit  ahfwer  to  a  plain  requifi- 
"  tion  that  was  made  to  the  Congrefs  from  his  Maje- 
"  fly's  Commiffioners,  with  regard  to  the  unfortu- 
"  nate  foldiers  who  are  detained  at  Bofton  under  e- 
"  very  indignity,  contrary  to  the  public  faith  of  a 
"  folemn  convention  fignecl  at  Saratoga,  and  alfo  to 
"  ferve  as  a  pretext  to  the  unhappy  conftituents  of 
'  the  Congrefs,  who  are  fuffering  under  the  various 
"  calamities  of  war,  for  difappointing  the  good  ef- 
"  feels  of  the  commiffion,  which  the  real  friends  of 
"  America  had  fo  long  requefted  by  the  moft  folemn 
"  petitions,  refolutions  and  public  declarations,  and 
"  which  fomany  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  continent 
"  now  defire  to  fee  carried  into  full  effect. 

"  As  the  great  purpofe  Mr.  Johnftone  had  in  view 
"  in  coming  to  North- America  was  to  promote  a  re- 
"  conciliation  between  Great-Britain  and  her  colo- 

"  nies, 


I     33     J 

"  nies,  with  a  fall  determination  to  do  nothing  that 
"  could  have  a  tendency  to  prevent  it.  In  order, 
"  therefore,  to  defeat  the  purpofes  intended  by  this 
"  refolution  of  Congrefs,  the  fubfcriber,  George 
"  Johnftone,  thinks  proper  to  decline  adting  as  a 
"  Commiflioner,  or  otherwife  interfering  in  any  mef- 
"  fage,  anfwer,  agreement,negotiation,  matter  or  thing 
"  that  may  regard  the  faid  Congrefs,  which  he  does 
"  with  fo  much  the  more  pleafure,  as  he  is  perfedtly 
"  fatisfied  the  bufmefs  will  be  left  in  more  able  and 
"  fufficient  hands;  referving  tohimfelf  the  liberty,  if 
"  he  mould  judge  proper,  of  publishing,  before  he 
"  leaves  North-America,  a  juftification  of  his  con- 
"  dud:  againft  the  afperfions  thrown  on  his  charac- 
"  ter. 

"  WHEN  the  Congrefs  were  contending  for  eflen- 
"  tial  privileges  neceflary  to  the  prefervation  of 
"  their  liberty,  under  folemn  declarations,  that  their 
"  refiftance  was  calculated  merely  to  obtain  redrefs 
"  upon  thofe  points,  Mr.  Johnftone  mould  have 
"  been  forry  to  have  incurred  their  cenfure,  though 
"  unheard  in  his  defence,  and  upon  a  chain  of  evi- 

"  dence  fo  totally  inconclufive  as  to  him. 

I  "  AT 


L     34    ] 

"  AT  prefent,  when  the  Congrefs  can  remain  deaf 
"  to  the  cries  of  fo  many  of  their  fellow- fubjedls, 
"  who  are  fuffering  by  the  miferies  of  this  war,  and 
"  from  motives  of  private  ambition,  can  fo  far  fully 
"  the  principles  upon  which  their  fir'ft  refiftance  was 
"  made,  as  to  bow  to  a  French  Ambaffador,  and 
"  league  with  the  antient  enemy  of  both  our  coun- 
'*  tries,  from  whofe  hoftile  defigns  Great-Britain  has 
"  fo  often  refcued  the  inhabitants  of  North- Aineri- 
"  ca,  and  this  for  the  avowed  purpofe  of  reducing 
"  the  power  of  the  parent  flate,  after  all  their  juft 
"  claims  are  gratified,  and  thereby  injuring  their 
"  neareft  and  deareft  friends  and  relations,  forgetting 
cc  all  the  principles  of  virtue  and  liberty  that  ought 
**  to  regulate  the  condud  of  men  in  fociety.  Mr. 
"  Johnftone  is  not  anxious  about  the  good  opinion 
"  of  fuch  a  body,  notwithftanding  the  regard  he 
*'  fhall  always  bear  to  many  of  the  individuals  who 
"  compofe  it,  from  a  juft  allowance  to  be  made  for 
"  men  adling  under  the  heats  incident  to  civil  com- 
"  motions,  and  from  a  certain  knowledge  they  did 
"  entertain,  and  a  perfuafion  that  they  now  entertain, 
".different  fentiments. 

"  WITH 


r  35  i 

,"  WITH  refpeft  to  the  people  of  America  at  large, 
"  the  fubfcriber  fincerely  wifties  to  avoid  every  fub- 
"  jedl  of  offence,  which  defigning  men  may  poffibly 
"  intend  to  create,  by  exciting  angry  paffions  in  re- 
"  turn  to  perfonal  provocations,  and  thereby  defeat 
"  any  effedls  of  good-will  towards  Mr.  Johnftone, 
"  which  the  remembrance  of  former  good  offices  he 
"  has  rendered  them,  might  occafion. 

"  GEORGE  JOHNSTONE." 

IT  is  very  remarkable,  that  in  this  performance 
Governor  Johnftone  does  not  venture  to  deny  the 
charge,  bat  evades  it  by  a  feries  of  unmeaning  pro- 
feflions  and  complaints,  though  he  muft  at  this 
time  have  been  poffefled  of  every  information  and 
evidence  he  now  is  :  But,  when  he  was  about  to 
leave  the  country,  and  therefore  in  lefs  danger  of  con- 
tradiction, he  fteps  a  little  farther,  by  leaving  with 
his  friend,  Mr.  Secretary  Fergufon,  the  following 
letter,  which  that  Gentleman  publifhed  in  the  New- 
York  Gazette,  October  5,  1778. 

New-Fork, 


[    36     I 

New-Tor k,   28^   September,    1778*^ 

"  TT  AVING  received  the  following  letter  from 
"  JL  A  Governor  Johnftone  at  his  departure  for 
"  England,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  fulfil  his  intention, 
<c  by  publifhing  it,  for  the  fatisfaftion  of  thofe  who 
"  may  defire  to  know  the  reafons  that  have  induced 
"  him  to  fufpend  any  particular  difcuffion  of  the 
"  charge  on  which  a  late  refolution  of  the  Congrefs, 
"  refpefting  himfelf,  is  founded.  The  intimation 
"  contained  in  this  letter  will,  in  the  mind  of  every 
"  perfon  in  any  degree  acquainted  with  his  charac- 
"  ter,  have  its  proper  effedls  ;  although  I  am,  both 
"  by  his  injunctions,  and  by  the  consideration  he 
*'  mentions,  reftrained,  at  prefent,  from  giving  any 
"  particular  account  of  the  evidence  entrusted  to  me. 

"  AD  AM    FERGUSON." 

"  Dear  Sir, 

"  T  LEAVE  in  your  pofleffion,  complete,  indif- 
"  -•*  putable  evidence,  that  no  aft  of  mine,  byword, 
"  writing,  mefTage  or  cohverfation  with  any  perfon 
"  whatfoever,  could  have  been  conceived  by  the 

"  Member 


[     37    3 

"  Member  of  Congrefs,  Jofeph  Reed,  Efq;  previous 
"  to  the  i  c;th  of  July  laft,  as  an  attempt,  or  as  hav- 
"  ing  a  tendency,  in  any  manner  whatfoever  to  cor- 
"  rupt  his  integrity. 

"  A  REGARD  to  the  faith  of  private  communicati- 
"  ons,  and  an  attention  to  the  peace  and  fafety  of  in- 
"  nocent  individuals,  under  the  horrid  cruelties  that 
"  are  daily  exercifed  to  maintain  the  prefent  fyftem 
"  of  government  by  the  Congrefs  and  Committees, 
"  reflrain  me  from  making  this  and  other  evidence 
"  public.  But  when  the  time  {hall  arrive,  that  may 
"  render  fuch  communications  proper,  I  am  perfuad- 
"  ed  the  world  will  applaud  my  felf-denial,  in  re- 
"  fufing  myfelf  the  fatisfaction  of  publifliing  fo  com- 
"  plete  a  refutation  of  the  afperfions  attempted  to  be 
"  thrown  on  my  character  by  the  refolutions  of  the 
"  Congrefs,  founded  on  a  fpecies  of  teftimony  that 
"  could  not  affect  me,  -upon  any  rule  of  evidence,  or 
"  any  fair  conftruction  of  language* 

"  ANOTHER  matter  I  wiih  the  world  to  know,  is, 
"  that  I  do  not  return  to  England  on  account  of  that 
"  proceeding  of  Congrefs.  The  other  Commiffion- 

K  «  ers, 


[  s3  r 

"  ers,  as  well  as  you,  and  all  perfons  with  whom  I 
"  have  lived  in  any  degree  of  intimacy  here,  and  all 
"  my  correfpondents  in  England,  are  fufficiently  ao 
"  quainted,  that  I  had  determined  to  return  to  Lon- 
"  don  by  the  meeting  of  Parliament,  to  give  my  voice 
"  and  opinion  againft  yielding  to  the  claim  of  inde- 
"  pendency,  long  before  any  fuch  refolves  of  the 
"  Congrefs  had  pafled. 

"  I  am,  with  efteem  and  affedtion, 
"  Your  fincere  friend, 
"GEORGE    JOHNSTO^IE." 

New-York,  zzd  September,  1778. 
ADAM  FERGUSON. 


GOVERNOR  Johnftone  ventured  in  his  fpeech  in  Par- 
liament, to  confirm  and  even  improve  upon  his  own 
declaration,which,  at  length,  by  a  courfe  of  events  and 
local  difputes,  not  neceflary  here  to  enumerate,  produ- 
ced the  followingNarrative,on  oath,  unfought  by  public 
demand  or  private  felicitation;  and  though  there  are 
many  circumftances  in  it  which  do  not  particularly 

relate 


[    39     3      , 

relate  to  Governor  Johnftone,  it  is  thought  beft  to 
publifh  it  entire,  to  obviate  every  fuggeftion  of  fup- 
preffion  or  mutilation. 

To      THE       PUBLIC. 

<  A  S  all  appeals  and  narratives  offered  to  the 
«  -t\  public,  relative  to  things  merely  of  a  private 
"  nature,  generally  appear  in  thefe  recitals  rather 
"tedious  and  unimportant.  Had  the  fubjeft  in  dif- 
"  pute  only  affedted  individuals  in  their  domeftic  ca- 
"  pacities,the  writer  of  this  would  not  have  taken  a 
"  pen  in  hand,  to* have  inveftigated  the  matter.  But 
"  it  is  humbly  apprehended,  that  the  point  in  quef- 
"  tion  is  looked  upon  as  of  confequence  enough  to 
"  claim  fome  degree  of  attention.  Sincerely  forry  is 
"  the  fubfcriber,  that  it  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  fo  in- 
<'  fignificant  a  perfon  as  herfelf,  to  develope  the  affair 
"  in  debate  3  but,  in  order  to  avoid  any  ambiguity  of 
"  expreffions,  fhe  means  now  to  drop  writing  in  the 
"  third  perfon,  and  fpeak  plainly  in  her  own  charac- 
"  ter.  v 

"  MUCH  has  it  been  canvaffed  of  late  I  underftand 
<c  in  this  State,  whether  Governor  Johnftone  ever 

"  had 


[     40     ] 

"  had  any  convcrfation  with  a  Lady  about  politics 

x 

"  in, general,  and  General  Reed  in  particular :  Much 
"  has  it  been  doubted  by  feme,  whether  a  Lady  ever 
"  had  airy  converfation  with  General  Reed,  as  relate 
"  ed  in  Town's  Evening  Foil  in  July  :  And,  much 
"  has  it  been  difputed  who  the  Lady  was,  and  if 
"  there  really  was  fuch  a  perfon.  All  thefe  doubts 
"  have  been  fuggefted  and  enforced,  according  to  the 
"  political  fentiments  of  the  perfons  who  hinted 
"  them,  as  the  inclination  too  often  gives  a  bias  to 
"  thejudgment. 

"  THE  many  parties  which  it  is  but  too  notorious 
and  melancholy  a  truth,  prevail  at  this  time  in  this 
city,  render  it  neceflary  for  the  fubfcriber  moft  fe- 
rioufly  to  declare,   that  fhe  is  not  influenced  or  di- 
"  reded  by  any  perfon  or  perfons  in  office,  or  ex- 
"  pedting  to  be  in  office,  in  the  free  and  independent 
"  States  of  America,   or  in   the  kingdom  of  Great- 
"  Britain.     And  this  prefent  account,    now  humbly 
"  prefented  to  the  public,   has  never  one  line  of  it 
"  been  feen  by,  or  read  to  an  individual  of  either  fex. 
"  Had  it  been   fubmitted  to  the  perufal  of  two  or 
"  three  judicious  friends,  who  honour  her  with  their 
*  "  countenance, 


[     4'     ] 

"  countenance,  it  doubtlefs  would  not  have  appear- 
"  ed  fo  deftitute  of  every  ornament  of  ftyle  and  po- 
"  lifh  of  the  pen,  as  it  does  at  prefent  :  But  as  it  was 
"  meant  as  a  plain  detail  of  fads,  me  chofe  rather  to 
J*  wave  all  thefe  little  embellishments,  as  to  the  man- 
"  ner,  in  order  to  have  it  in  her  power,  confiftent 
"  with  truth,  to  make  the  above  declaration. 

«!  As  the  houfe  of  a  very  particular  friend  of  mine, 
"  Mr.  Charles  Stedman,  happened  to  be  the  place 
"  appointed  for  Governor  Johnftone's  refidence  dur- 
"  ing  his  flay  in  this  city,  I  was  in  it  the  greateft  part 
"  of  the  time  the  Commiffioners  were  here.  I  came 
*'  to  town  to  take  leave  of  my  hufband,  in  confe- 
u  quence  of  a  pafs  granted  me  by  the  Commander 
"  in  Chief  of  our  army. 

."  THREE  times  I  was  in  company  with  Governor 
"  Johnftone  ;  he  exprefled  great  delire  to  have  been 
'««  admitted  to  have  pafled  the  lines,  or  that  his  Secre- 
"  tary  {hould  have  had  fome  intercourfe  of  a  liberal 
"  kind  (as  he  termed  it)  with  people  in  power.  I 
"  own,  that  I  did  at  that  time  look  on  Governor 
"  Johnftone  as  a  friend  to  America,  who  wiflied  fome 

L  "  perfon 


[      42      ] 

"  perfon  would  ftep  forth  and  ad:  a  mediatorial  part, 
"  and  fuggeft  fomething  to  flop  the  effufion  of  blood 
"  which  was  like  to  enfue,  if  the  war  was  carried  on 
"  in  its  full  vigour.  The  two  former  times  of  the 
"  three  that  I  talked  with  Governor  Johriftone,  the 
"  converfation  was  fo  genera!,  and  his  declaration  fo 
"  warm  in  favour  of  the  interefls  of  America,  that  I 
regarded  him  as  an  eflimable  character,  and  moft 
finceiely  wifhed  he  could  have  had  a  free  inter- 
courfe  with  fome  of  the  fenfible  Whigs  without 
"  the  lines  :  But  from  firfl  to  laft  of  thele  converfa- 
"  tic  ns,  I  uniformly  told  him,  that  I  thought  he  che- 
"  rifhed  a  delufive  idea,  namely,  that  the  Congrefs 
*f  kept  the  true  fenfe  of  the  people  from  the  public, 
"  and  that  if  that  was  fairly  to  be  come  at,  indepen- 
"  dence  would  lofe  ground. 

"  I  AM  fure  I  can  fay,  fpeaking  within  bounds,  I 
"  repeated  half  a  dozen  times  to  him,  that  I  believed, 
"  if  the  votes  of  the  people  were  or  could  be  impar- 
"  tially  taken,  they  would  give  the  decifion  in  fa- 
"  vour  of  independency  y  but  this  fentiment  he  ne- 
"  ver  coincided  in. 


AT 


I    43     ] 

"  AT  this  time,  my  mind  was  much  engaged  with 
"  the  thoughts  of  prefenting  a  memorial  to  the  Su- 
"  preme  Executive  Council,  then  at  Lancafter,  as  I 
"  thought  it  of  fome  confequence  to  get  it  laid  befoie 
"  that  Honorable  Body,  previous  to  the  time  my 
"  huftand  was  cited  to  appear,  June  the  24th,  he 
"  was  there  fummoned  as  guilty  of  High  Treafon, 
"  on  the  idea  of  his  being  a  fubjedt  of  the  States  : 
"  Now  as  he  was  by  birth  a  Briton,  and  left  this  near 
"  a  year  before  the  declaration  of  Independency,  I 
"  was  encouraged  by  fome  Gentlemen,  learned  in 
"  the  law,  to  point  out,  that  he  could  not  with  pro- 
"  priety  come  under  the  defcription  of  the  bulk  of 
"  the.profcribed.  But  I  beg  pardon  for  wandering 
"  from  my  fubjeftin  this  fecming  digreflion. 

"  GOVERNOR  Johnftone  heard  me  fay  I  was  going 

"  on  this    errand;  and  the  converfation  Mr.  Reed 

"  more  particularly  refers  to  in  his  recital,  pafled  be- 

"  tween  Governor   Johnftone  and  myfelf,    about  a 

"  quarter  of  an  hour  before  Governor  Johnftone  left 

"  Mr.  Stedman's  houfe.  In  Mr.  Stedman's  tea-room, 

'  to  the  beft  of  my  memory,    on  the   i6th  of  June, 

'  between  the  hours  of  ten  and  eleven  in  the  morn- 

"  ing, 


r  44  i 

"  ing,  Governor  Johnftone  fent  me  a  manufcript 
"  book  to  read  the  morning  he  went  off,  but  in  fo 
"  hafly  a  way,  that  he  afked  three  or  four  times  for 
"  it,  before  it  was  poffible  to  have  read  it  a  quarter 
"  thro' ;  the  general  vein  that  prevailed  in  it  was, 
"  pointing  out  the  many,  advantages  arifing  from  a 
"  re-union  with  Britain,  and  a  commercial  inter- 
"  courfe,  and  feveral  good  things  I  believe  were  in 
"  it,  but  I  thought  it  much  too  prolix  to  be  of  ge- 
"  neral  utility.  I  returned  the  book  to  him  in  Mr. 
"  Stedman's  tea-room  and  was  going  out;  he  refum- 
"  ed  the  thread  of  politics. 

"  MRS.  Fergufon,  fays  Governor  Johnftone,  this 
'*  is  a  moft  unhappy  difpute  ;  can  nothing  be  fallen 
"  upon  to  mitigate  matters.  God  grant  there 
"  could,  Governor  Johnftone,  returned  I ;  you  are  a 
"  perfon  in  power  ;  you  know  how  ardently  I  wifti 
"  for  peace  :  For,  I  before  that  had  faid  to  Governor 
"  Johnftone,  that  if  he  would  beinftrumental  by  his 
"  reprefentations  at  home  to  effetf:  peace,  it  would 
"  give  him  comfort  in  his  dying  hour,  when  all 
"  earthly  honours  and  views  of  ambition  would  be 
"  light  in  the  balance.  And  I  again  repeated,  "  I 

"  am 


C     45     3 

*'  am  certain  nothing  fhort  of  Independence  will  be 
"  accepted."    I  am  told,  replied  he,  that  Morris  and 
"  Reed  have  a  great  deal  to  fay  in  your  politics.  lan- 
"  fwered,  I  believe  they  have  -,  they  are  both  Gentle- 
"  men  of  diftinguifhed  characters,  for  good  fen fe  and 
"  patriotic  principles.  I  knowfomethingof  Reed,  lays 
«  Johnftone;  I  forwarded  letters  to  him  of  Mr.  De 
"  Berdt's ;  I  knew   Mr.  De  Berdt  well ;  I   wifli  I 
'*  could  fee  Mr.  Reed  and  Mr,  Morris,  but  particu- 
"  larly  Mr.  Reed;   I  think  I  could  fay  many  things 
c<  to  him  that  would  be  for  the  advantage  of  fettling 
"  this  conteft.     I   wifh  you  could,  Sir ;  I  dare  fay 
"  that  if  you  were  to  converfe  with  either  of  thofe 
"  Gentlemen,  it  would  be  to  your  mutual  fatisfadli- 
**  on,  and  I  think  it  is  a  great  pity  that  you  have  not 
"  an  opportunity.     I  heard,  fays  he,  that  Reed  has  a 
"  great  deal  to  fay  with  Wafhington.    I  believe,  Sir, 
"returned,  I,    that  General   Reed  ftands  very  well 
**  with  General  Wafhington,  (for  I  always  made  it  a 
"  point  to  give  our  officers  their  titles  immediately, 
"  when,  any  of  the  Britifh  Gentlemen  omitted  them.) 
"  I  had  thoughts,  fays  Johnftone,  of  applying  to  both 
"  thefe  Gentlemen,    (meaning  Mr.    Reed  and  Mr. 
"  Morris)  for  their  good  offices,   but  the  fewer  peo- 

M  "  pie 


[     46     ] 

"  pie  one  applies  to  the  better  :  But,  I  fhould  be  par- 
"  ticularly  glad  of  Mr.  Reed's  influence  in  this  af- 
"  fair;  Mrs.  Fergufon,  fays  he,  and  I  think  he  look- 
"  ed  a  little  confufed,  if  this  affair  fhould  be  fettled 
"  in  thje  way  we  wifli,  we  fhall  have  many  pretty 
"  things  in  our  power,  and  if  Mr.  Reed,  after  well 
"  confidering  the  nature  of  the  difpute,  can,  con- 
<c  formable  to  his  confcience  and  view  of  things,  ex- 
"  ert  his  influence  to  fettk  the  conteft,  he  may  com- 
"  mand  ten  thoufand  guineas  and  the  belt  port  in  the 
"  government,  and  if  you  fhould  fee  him,  I  could 
"  wifh  you  would  convey  that  idea  to  him.  I  own 
"  I  felt  hurt  and  fhocked,  for  I  regarded  the  hint  as 
"  indelicate,  and  from  that  moment  Mr.  Johnflone 
"  appeared  to  me  in  a  different  point  of  light.  He 
t(  then  was  turning_out  of  the  room,  the  Commo- 
"  dore  had  fent  for  him  and  General  Clinton  two  or 
"  three  times  that  morning,  while  we  were  together* 
"  If  he  read  countenances  as  well  as  I  believe  he 
"  did,  he  muft  immediately  have  feen  difguft  ftrongly 
"  painted  on  mine.  I  defired  him  to  ftay  a  moment. 
"  Sir,  fays  I,  fince  you  have  opened  your  mind  fo 
"  freely  to  me,  allow  me  to  fuggeft  a  few  hints  with 
"  the  fame  freedom.  By  all  means,  Madam.  Do 

"  not 


[    47     ] 

"  not  you  think,  Sir,  that  Mr.  Reed  will  look  upon 
"  fuch  a  mode  of  obtaining  his  influence  as  a  bribe  ? 
""  (I  really  made  ufe  of  that  plain  term. )  Do  you 
"  think  fo,  Mallam  ?  I  really,  Sir,  mould  apprehend 
"  fo.  By  no  means,  Madam  ;  this  method  of  pro- 
'*  ceeding  is  cuflomary  in  all  negotiations ;  and  one 
"  may  very  honourably  make  it  a  man's  intereft  to 
"  ftep  forth  in  a  caufe.  I  know  little  of  negotiati- 
"  ons,  returned  I,  but  this  appears  to  me,  that  if  it  is 
<c  Mr.  Reed's  judgment  that  America  fhould  give  up 
"  the  point  of  independence,  he  will  fay  fo,  if  he  has 

• 

€t  any  influence  in  her  counfels,  without  fee  or  re- 
"  -ward  >  and  if  he  is  of  a  different  opinion,  no  pe- 
"  cuniary  emolument  fliould  lead  him  to  give  a  con- 
"  trary  vote.  He  faid,  he  did  not  fee  the  matter  in 
tf  the  fame  point  of  light  exadlly  as  I  did,  and  abrupt- 
"  ly  bade  me  farewell ;  and  I  believe,  if  his  heart 
«c  had  that  moment  been  feen,  he  was  vexed  he  had 
"  gone  fo  far. 

"  AND  here  ends  afimple  narrative  of  afacT:,  as  far 

"  as  it  relates  to  Governor   Johnftone's  converfation 

*  with  me.   The  misfortune  of  all  narration  is,  they 

"  unavoidably  leadto  prolixity,  and  many  little  points 

"  that 


[    43     ] 

"  that  appear  extremely  interefting  to  the  narrator, 
"  feern  as  tedious  and  non-eflential  to  the  reader.  I 
"  muft  now,  in  vindication  of  my  own  character,  be 
"  permitted  to  fay  fomething  in  regard  to  the  con- 
"  verfation  I  had  with  General  Reed  :  Had  he  been 
"  as  tender  of  my  political  reputation  in  his  publi- 
"  cation,  as  I  ever  have  been  and  am  now  of  his,  I 
"  mould  at  this  time  have  been  faved  this  difagree- 
"  able  explanation.  I  have  nothing  to  fay  that  can 
"  caft  a  made  on  his  character  as  a  patriot,  or  in- 
"  jure  him  with  the  public  as  to  the  capital  point  : 
"  For,  wh$n  I  came  to  the  moft  interefting  part  of 
"  the  converfation,  he  anfwered  without  hefitati- 
"  on,  "  My  influence  is '  but  fmall,  but  was  it  as 
"  great  as  Governor  Johnftone  would  infinuate,  the 
"  King  of  Great-Britain  has  nothing  in  his  gift  that 
"  would  tempt  me."  Immediately  on  feeing  the 
"  account  publiihed  of  this  affair  in  Towne's  Even- 
"  ing  Poft,  I  fat  down  under  the  warmth  of  the  firft 
"  impreffion  of  refentment,  and  wrote  the  letter  that 
"  is  fubjoined  to  this  publication.  The  paper  did  not 
"  reach  me  till  the  a6th  of  July  :  I  was  at  my  own 
"  retired  fpot  at  Graeme-Park  5  I  had  no  creature  to 

"  confult, 


L    49     ] 

"  confult,  and  wrote  it  in  four  hours  after  feeing  the 
*'  Evening  Poft .  I  never  had  the  leaft  previous  inti- 
"  mation  from  General  Reed,  or  any  of  his  friends, 
"  that  he  intended  publifhing  the  account,  nor  the 
"  leaft  hint  of  fuch  a  defign  when  I  faw  him  that 
"  once,  which  is  the  only  time  I  ever  exchanged  a 
"  word  with  him.  In  that  letter  I  only  anticipated 
**  the  difagreeable  confequence  that  his  reprefentati- 
**  on  would  produce.  I  have  (ince  feverely  felt  and 
"  realized  them.  It  is  true,  Mr.  Reed,  though  pref- 
"  fed  to  it,  has  never  given  up  the  name  of  the  Lady; 
"  but  there  was  fuch  a  combination  of  circumftances 
"  joined  to  his  account,  as  neyer  left  the  public  in 
"  doubt  of  the  perfon.  I  was  immediately  pointed 
"  out,  and  my  filence  was  a  tacit  confeflion. 

"  AND  I  received  no  one  advantage  from  not  ac- 
"  knowledging  myfelf  as  the  perfon  ;  unlefs  thefe 
"  may  be  ranked  as  fuch,  namely,  not  having  it  in 
"  my  power  to  throw  in  one  palliating  or  extenuating 
"  circumftance  in  my  own  behalf;  and  being  oblig- 
"  ed  to  hear  a  hundred  rude  and  impertinent  things 
"  faid  by  people  who  had  only  the  dark  fide  of  my 
"  character.  Finally,  I  might  be  compared,  in  fuch 
N  "  a  fituation, 


C  5°  1: 

"  a  fituation,    to  a  perfon  in  the  open  field,   whofc 

"  enemy  is  hid  in  bufties,   who  darts  forth  poifoned 

"  arrows    that    fpread    their   venom.     I  own  I  am 

"  wounded  where  I  am  moil  vulnerable  ;  I  mean  my 

"reputation.     Much   could  I  fay  with  truth  of  my 

"  love  to  my  country,  but  will  here  be  filent,  for  two 

"  reafons ;  as   a  female  perhaps  to  enlarge  on  that 

"  fubjedl  might  be  deemed  an  affeftation  of  mafcu- 

"  line  virtue  j  and   at  this    time  it  might  appear  as 

"  defigned  to  carry  certain  points  now  in  fufpence. 

*'  Let   this  appeal   to  the  public  be  taken   in  what 

"  light  it  may,  I  offer  it   with  diffidence;  but  feel 

"  myfelf  much   more  eafy  in  my  mind,    now  I  have 

"  given  it,  than  I  ever  have  done  fince  I  had  that  un- 

"  lucky  converfation  with  Governor  Johnftone.     A- 

**  mong  the  many  mortifying  infmuations  that  have 

"  been  hinted   on  the  fubjecft,  none  has  fo  fenfibly 

"  afFedled  me,  as  an  intimation,  that  fome  thought  I 

"  aded  a  part  in  confequence  of  certain  expectations 

"  of  a  poft,  or  fome  preferment  from  Mr.  Johnftone 

*'  to  be  conferred   on   the  perfon  deareft  to  me  on 

"  earth. j  On  that  head  I  fhall  fay  no  more,  but  leave 

"  it  to  any  perfon  of  common  fenfe  to  determine,  if 

"  1  had  any  views  of  that  kind,  whether  I  (hould,  in 

''fo 


C     5'     1 

"  fo  full  and  folemn  a  manner  call  in  queftion  what 
"  Mr.  Johnftone  has  afferted  in  the  Houfe  of  Com- 
"  mons  :  A  proceeding  of  this  kind  muft  totally  ex- 
"  elude  all  avenues  of  favour  from  that  quarter,  were 
"  there  ever  any  expedted,  which  I  folemnly  declare 
<c  never  was  the  cafe.  If  this  account  {hould  ever 
"  have  the  honour  to  be  glanced  over  by  the  eye  of 
""Governor  Johnftone,  I  know  not  in  what  medium 
"  he  may  view  it :  It  is  poffible  that  the  multiplicity 
"  of  ideas  which  may  be  fuppofed  to  pafs  through 
"  the  brain  of  a  politician  in  the  courfe  of  a  few 
<c  months,  may  have  joftled  the  whole  tranfadion 
"  out  of  his  memory.  Should  this  be  the  cafe,  in- 
'%c  fignificant  and  contemptible  as  I  may  appear  to 
"  him,  I  believe  there  are  two  or  'three  people  in 
"  Britain,  that  will  venture  to  tell  him  in  all  his  pk- 
"  nitude  of  power,  that  they  believe  I  would  not  fet 
"  my  hand  to  an  Untruth.  The  letter  I  wrote  to 
"  Mr.  Reed  is  a  proof  that  I  never  intended  to  deny 
"  the  converfation  ;  if  I  had  ever  views  of  that  kind, 
'  I  fhould  not  have  been  fo  waak  as  to  have  pnt  it 
"  out  of  my  power  to  have  even  equivocated  about 
"  it  when  called  on  by  Mr.  Reed.  I  do  not  pre- 
"  tend  to  aflfert  that  I  asprecifely  related  to  Mr.  Reed 

"  every 


4€ 


r  5*  ] 

every  word  that  paffed,  how,  when  and  where,  as  I 
"do  in  this  account,  which  I  believe  I  fhall  enforce 
"  by  a  depofition  :  But  I  now  call  on  Mr.  Reed,  in 
"  the  prefence  of  an  all-feeing  God  to  declare,  whe- 
"  ther  in  the  courfe  of  the  converfation  I  had  with 
"  him,  I  exprefled  one  fehtiment  that  breathed  a  wifh 
"  that  he,  or  any  perfon  in  power,  fhould  accept  of 
"  any  douceurs  to  preponderate  in  the  fcale.  I  took 
"  no  minutes  of  either  of  the  converfations  I  had  with 
"  the  above-mentioned  Gentlemen,  therefore  there 
"  may  be  feme  trifling  errors  :  But  as  to  a  fum  and 
"  office  being  mentioned,  which  feems  to  be  the 
"  moft  eflential  part  of  the  affair,  I  am  not  miftaken 
"  in. 

"  I  NEVER  will  write  or  fpeak  more  on  the  fubjedl, 
"  nor  enter  into  any  further  explanations  :  If  I  have 
«  erred  I  muft  fuffer.  With  all  poffible  refpeft  I 
*4  remain  the  candid  reader's  moft  obedient  humble 
"  fervant, 

"ELIZABETH    FERGUSON/' 

/ 

Philadelphia,  February  16,  1779. 

Grame- 


[     S3     1 

Grceme-Park,  "July  26,  1778. 
«  S   I   R, 

"  T  T  is  with  no  fmall  degree  of  regret  that  I  now 
"  -1  fit  down  to  addrefs  a  few  lines  to  you,  on  a 
"  fubjeft  that  is  by  no  means  agreeable  to  me  to  en- 
"  ter  on  :  But  I  muft  beg  the  favour  of  your  atten- 
"  tion,  with  hopes  of  obtaining  rather  more  candour, 
"  than  I  think  has  been  fhewn  me  heretofore. 

"  I  SAW  to-day  Towne's  Evening  Poft,  in  which 
"  Governor  Johnftone's  letter  to  you,  Sir,  is  inferted, 
"  (that  I  have  no  bufmefs  with)  but  the  relation  of  a 
"  converfation  which  pafled  between  General  Reed 
"  and  a  certain  Lady,  muft  have  been  published  with 
"  your  confent  ;  and  that  is  an  affair  I  muft  be  per- 
"  mitted  to  touch  upon, 

"  WELL  acquainted  as  you  are,  Siiw with  the  me- 
"  thods  which  are  made  ufe  of  in  courts  of  jadica- 
"  ture  for  the  inveftigation  of  truth,  it  would  be  fu- 
"  perfluous  in  me  to  hint,  that  the  fuppreffion  of  fome 
"  circumftances,  and  dwelling  ftrongly  on  others 
"  give  a  colouring  and  complexion  to  things  very 

n  "  different 


[    54     ] 

"  different  from  their  real  and  original  meaning  and 
"  fignification. 

"  THAT  you,  Sir,  (bowed  no  difpofition  to  fall  in 
fr  with  any  fchemes  which  Governor  Johnftone 
"  might  wifh  you  to  adopt  in  favour  of  America's 
"  yielding  her  claim  to  independency,  is  certainly 
"  juftly  ftated  in  your  account.  But  furely  General 
"  Reed  could  have  pointed  out  his  firmnefs  to  his 
country's  caufe,  without  fuffering  an  innocent,  and 
I  may  fay,  almoft  friendlefs  womati,  to  be  exhibit- 
ed in  a  common  news-paper,  and  that  in  a  manner 
"  which  conveys  no  other  idea,  but  that  of  her  being 
"  an  emiflary  of  the  Commiflioners  ;  and  that  fhe, 
"  by  having  fome  of  her  friends  gone  off  with  the 
•"  Britifh  troops,  was  endeavouring  to  fhow  her  at- 
<c  tachment  to  their  caufe  in  their  abfence. 

"  As  yourfelf,  Sir,  and  the  Lady,  were  the  only 
"  parties  that  know  any  thing  of  .the  affair  in  qiief- 
"  tion,  it  is  only  you  that  can  be  appealed  to.  Be 
"-pleafed,  Sir,  to  recoiled:  the  ftyle,  the  manner,  and 
"  the  whole  of  that  tete  a  tete  \  and  then,  Sir,  on  the 
"  part  of  the  Lady,  can  you  determine  that  the  con- 

"  verfation 


I    55    1 

«  verfation  has- been  kindly,  friendly,  or  fairly  dated: 
"  If  it  has,  my  memory  has  greatly  failed  me  in  al- 
"  moft  every  point. 

"  ANY  perfon  of  common  fenfc  who  read  the  anec- 
"  dote,  as  related  in  the  Evening  Poft,  would  con- 
«  elude,  a  billet  was  fent  to  General  Reed  from  the 
"  Lady,  for  no  other  purpofe  than  to  aft  folely  OR 
"  Governor  Johnftone's  bufmefs.  Affairs  relative  to 
"  a  near  friend  occupied  her  mind  much  more,  and 
"  fhe  applied  to  General  Reed  for  his  advice;  and 
"  fhe  thought  that  at  parting  he  offered  it  cordially 
"  and  fincerely  in  her  little  concerns, 

"  ACCIDENT  flung  her  into  the  fame  houfe  appro- 
"  priated  to  the  ufeof  Governor  Johnftone;  fhe  men- 
*'  tioned  him  to  you  as  one  that  feemed  very  defirous 
"  of  fettling  matters  upon  fome  amicable  footing. 

"  GENERAL  Reed  told  her  he  had  received  a  let- 
*'  ter  from  Governor  Johnflone ;  flie  from  thenc^ 
*'  concluded  he  had  opened  his  mind  fully  in  that 
"  letter  on  the  point  of  engaging  Mr.  Reed  in  his 
"  intereft ;  and  fhe  then  repeated  what  had  pafled 

"  between 


[    56    ] 

"  between  Governor  Johnftone  and  herfelf  with  re- 
"  gard  to  politics  in  general,  and  Mr.  Reed's  influ- 
<(  ence  in  particular. 

"  BUT  (he  is  certain,  that  flie  repeated  to  General 
"  Reed  what  fhe  faid  to  Mr.  Johnftone,  which  was, 
<{  that  if  General  Reed,  or  any  other  perfon  in  power, 
"  looked  upon  it  as  beneficial  for  America  that  fhe 
"  fhould  yield  independency  and  be  re-united  to 
"  Great-Britain,  he  would  fuggeft  that  idea  with- 
'*  out  reward ;  and  if  he  entertained  oppofite  fenti- 
"  ments,  no  offers,  if  he  was  an  honeft  man,  could 
"  bias  his  judgment  to  give  a  contrary  vote. 

"  BUT  there  was  no  convincing  the  Commiffion- 
"  ers  that  the  voice  of  the  Congrefs  was  the  voice  of 
"  the  people ;  and  as  their  intercourfe  for  the  mofl 
"  part  lay  with  the  friends  of  government,  it  was 
"  natural  for  them  to  imbibe  their  fentiments. 

"  I  AM  fenfible,  Sir,  that  the  political  opinions  of 
"  women  are  ridiculed  among  the  generality  of  men, 
"  but  I  own  I  find  it  hard,  very  hard,  (knowing  the 
"  uncorruptnefs  of  my  heart)  to  be  held  out  to  the 
"  public  as  a  tool  to  the  Commiffioners.  Perhaps 

"  few 


[     57     1 

*<  few  minds  would  more  fenfibly  feel  fo  humiliating 
"  and  mortifying  an  idea.  But  theimpreffion  is  now 
"  made,  and  it  is  too  late  to  recal  it.  How  far,  at 
"  this  critical  juncture  of  time,  this  affair  may  injure 
"  my  property  is  uncertain  ;  that  I  affure  you  is  but 
"  a  fecondary  thought. 

"  UNDER  no  very . agreeable  fituation  of  mind,  I  beg 
"  leave  to  conclude  myfelf, 

"  Your  very  humble  fervant, 
"ELIZABETH    FERGUSON/' 


"THE  1 6th  day  of  February,  1779.  Before 
".me,  John  Ord,  Efq;  one  of  the  Juftices  of  the 
"  Peace  for  the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia,  came 
"  Elizabeth  Fergufon,  of  Horfham  townfliip,  coun- 
"  ty  of  Philadelphia,  Gent,  and  being  fworn  on  the 
"  Holy  Evangelifts  of  Almighty  God,  did  depofe, 
"  declare  and  fay,  that  the  declaration  above-menti- 
"  oned  is  drawn  up  and  wrote  with  her  own  hand- 
P  "'writing, 


[     58    ] 

"  writing,    and  is  in  every  refpedl  juft  and  true,  to 
«« the  beft  of  her  remembrance. 

"ELIZABETH    FERGUSON. 

**  Sworn  at  Philadelphia,  before  me,  the 
"  day  and  year  above  faid. 

"JOHN     OR  D." 

THUS  I  have,  with  the  pureft  intentions,    and  I 
hope  with  equal  candour,  traced  the  circumftances, 
and  collefted  the  fadls  attending  a  tranfa&ion,  which 
has  made  fome  noife  in   the  political  world.     The 
cloud  which  party  attempted  to  raife,    and  to  which 
Mrs.  Fergufon  alludes,  has  long  fince  vanifhed.    But 
as  an  hiftorical  fa<5t,  as  a  fpecimen  of  that  corruption 
into  which  the  Britifh  nation   is   funk,   and  againft 
which  it  behoves  us  to  guard  with  unceafing  vigi- 
lance, it  was  worthy  of  elucidation.     And,  notwith- 
ftanding  Governor  Johnftone's  declaration,  That  be 
ufed  other  means   bejides  perfuqfion,    I    hold   the  in- 
tegrity  and    honour  of    my   country   too   dear,    to 
*  believe   he  fpoke  of  a   fad ;  though   I  can  eafily 
fuppofe   he  would  wiih   to  weaken   public  confi- 
dence, 


I     59    ] 

dence,  and  inflame  thofe  difTentions  to  which  Re- 
publican Governments  are  naturally  fubjed:.  I  fir*- 
cerely  wifh  we  had  nothing  more  to  fear  from  the  fe- 
ducing  influence  of  trade,  land  monopoly,  or  rivet- 
ted  party  prejudice,  on  thofe  who  are  or  may  be  call- 
ed to  manage  the  public  affairs  of  this  rifing  empire, 
than  we  have  from  the  dired:  bribery  of  a  Britifh 
Minifter  :  But,  I  truft  the  virtue  and  wifdom  of  A- 
merica  will  rife  fuperior  to  thefe ;  and  where  fhe 
cannot  prevent,  punifh  with  exemplary  rigour  every 
one,  however  other  wife  great  or  diftinguiflied  he  may 
be,  who  fhall  dare  to  proftitute  his  public  character 
to  the  fordid  purpofes  of  private  gain  or  party  rage. 
Much  certainly  depends  upon  fetting  out  right.  If 
men  of  eminent  ftations  adorn  them  with  a  difinte- 
refted  regard  to  the  public  welfare,  we  may  exped: 
the  happy  influence  of  example  will  extend  to  all 
ranks,  and  fix  a  national  charader  of  integrity  and 
honour.  From  a  brave  and  generous  people,  it  will 
even  in  this  world  have  its  reward,  and  entitle  us  to 
bleffings  and  fuccefs,  which  a  depraved  and  corrupted 
nation  cannot  expe<fl, 


IN 


r  60  ] 

IN  fimilar  circumftances  to  the  prefent,  I  believe 
thoufands  of  my  countrymen  would  have  adled  a  fi- 
milar  part :  They  would  have  held  the  gold  of  Bri- 
tain as  drofs,  compared  with  the  affe&ion  and  efteem 
of  a  free  and  magnanimous  people.  Thefe  have  been 
my  fupport  under  a  moft  unkind  oppofition,  to  which, 
either  individually  or  collectively  I  have  never  given 
caufe  of  offence,  and  which  has  tried  its  various  in- 
fluence upon  the  people,  upon  Congrefs,  and  upon 
the  Gentlemen  of  France,  to  diftrefs  my  adminiftra- 
tion  and  leflen  the  eftimation  in  which  an  honeft  en- 
deavour to  difcharge  my  public  duty  with  fidelity, 
has  placed  me.  I  afk  not  the  favour  of  my  country 
one  moment  after  I  deviate  from  this  path,  and 
fhould  think  myfelf  happy,  if  thofe  who  remain  dif- 
fatisfied  would  defer  their  refentment,  till  the  remov- 
al of  the  enemy  left  them  no  other  objects  than  their 
own  countrymen  :  But  I  fincerely  affure  them,  that 
while  there  is  a  Britifh  foldier  left  in  arms  uT^thcfc 

United  States,  not  all  the  efforts  of  party,  fecret  or 

f 
open,  poverty  or  danger,   {hall  induce  me  to  relin- 

quifli  the  ftation  in  which  public  confidence  has 
placed  me,  and  in  which  I  can  beft  oppofe  the  views 
of  the  common  enemy.  When  thefe  dangers  are 

paffed 


paffed  away,   I  care  not  how  foon  I  fall  into  the 
rank  of  a  private  citizen— -a  ftation  better  fiuted  to 
my  talents  and  inclination.— -In  every  ftation,  I  hope, 
the  love  of  my  country  will  be  the  predominant  and 
ruling  principle  of  my  life ;  and,  while  I  adt  under 
its  influence,  I  fhall  at  leaft  deferve,   if  I  do  not  en- 
joy the  favour  and  efteem  of  every  honeft  man  and 
fincere  patriot.    Next  to  this,  is  the  honour  and  dig- 
nity of  Congrefs,   the  vindication  of  which  has  been 
one  objedl  of  the  prefent  work  :  In  which,   plain 
fa<3s  muft  fupply  the  place  of  elegant  compofition 
and  harmonious  periods,   for  which  I  have  neither 
time  nor  ability.     My  countrymen,  I  truft,  will  read 
it  with  indulgence,   and    foreigners   with  candour. 
Military  purfuits  have  almoft  extinguifhed  the  few 
literary  attainments  I  once  poflefled;  and  what  could 
not  be  tolerated  in  the  profeffed  man  of  letters,  will 
be  pardoned  in  the  foldier  and  citizen,   amidft  the 
tumult  of  civil  war,   and  the  revolution  of  a  mighty 
empire. 

JOSEPH      REED. 

PHILADELPHIA,  Sept.  8,  1779. 

\ 

« 

THE      END. 


